Tongue-switch.



J. D. MGPHERSON.

TONGUE SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.22 191s.

Patented Feb. 3, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH col. WASHINGTON. D. L.

J. D. MGPHERSON.

TONGUE SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 22, 1913,

Patented Feb. 3, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

| T l I I I l 1 ll JOHN D. MOPHERSON, 0F HILLIBURN, NEW YORK.

TONGUE-SWITCH.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Feb, 3, 1914 Application filed January 22, 1913. Serial N 0. 743,494.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN D. MCPHERSON, a citizen of the United States,residing atHillburn, in the county of Rockland, in the State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tongue- Switches, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

y invention relates to improvements in switches, which are adapted for use inconnection with railways, and which are subjected to the heavy loads and the high speeds of railway trains and the invention consists in the new and novel features of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter setforth and claimed.

One of the objects of invention is to.

provide a tongue switch in which the tongue is securely held in proper position with relation to the switch block by means which will permit the tongue to be readily assembled or removed for replacement orrepairs.

A further object of the invention is to provide a secure bearing between the tongue and the switch block, so that tilting or accidental displacement of the tongue may be prevented.

A further object of the invention is to provide means whereby wear between the bearing parts of the tongue and switch block will be automatically compensated without manual adjustment of the parts.

The various other objects of the invention will be set forth in connection with the following description of one form of tongue switch embodying my invention, which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 represents a plan view of a tongue switch embodying my invention, together with means for adjusting and holding the tongue in position. Fig. 2 represents a plan view of the heel portion of the switch tongue. Fig. 3 represents a side elevation of the same. Fig. 4 represents an end view of the switch tongue. Fig. 5 represents a detail plan view of the heel portion of the switch, with the tongue and box or housing cover removed. Fig. 6 represents a longitudinal section on the lines w-m of Fig. 5, with the tongue in place. Fig. 7 represents a trans verse section on the lines y-y of Fig. 5, with the tongue and box cover in place. Fig. 8 represents a detail longitudinal section on the lines 2'2 of Fig. 5. Fig. 9 is a detail view of the forked end of the adjusting lever.

Referring to the particular embodiment of the invention shown in thedrawings, the track rails 1, 1, are secured to the heel poi tion oft-he switch block and the guard rails 22- are also secured to the heel portion of the switch block, by suitable means, as the bolts 3. Filler blocks 4 are interposed be tween the track rails and guard rails which are grooved to provide fiangeways in the usual-manner.

The switch plate comprises a heel block:5, preferably formed integral therewith, which has a convex bearing face 6 that isundercut as at 7 to form asocket and is also pro? vided with lateral flanges 8 forming the floor of theflange way. Forwardly of the bearing face the switch plate is provided with a central recess 9 connected by a lateral passage 10 that is provided in the switch plate and the adjacent guard rail with a box or housing 11 secured to the outside of said guard rail. The upper fac'eof that portion of the switch plate in front ofvthe bearin face is approximately in the same horizontal plane as the floor of the socket 7 and provides a bearing for theswitch tongue. Bearing sockets 12 are also formed beneath. to the lateral flanges 8 in connection with a bear ing bar 13 which is secured underneath the switch plate.

The tongue 14 has its heel portion con-. cavely curved to'register with the curved portion of the heel block and is providedv with a downwardly and rearwardly extending projection or extension 16 to engage in the undercut socket 7 formed in the heel block and bearing upon the flat bottom thereof. The tongue is also provided with rearwardly and downwardly extending projections or fingers 17 formed from the crescent ends of the tongue heel that engage in the sockets or recesses 12. -A downwardly extending extension or arm 19 is also pro vided on the bottom of the tongue, approxi. mately in the medial line thereof, which seats in the rear portion of the central recess 9, formed in the switch plate. Prefer ably said arm is provided with a slightly convex front face 20 and is engaged by the correspondingly concaved end of a latch or plunger 21. Said plunger is movably mounted in the recess 9, and is preferably made in two parts, movable with relation to each other, which are provided with regisl compensate for wear of the parts without tering recesses 22 to receive a coiled spring 24. The forward end of said plunger rod is slotted as at 25 and provided with a pivot pin 26. One arm 27 of a ball crank lever 28 that is fnlcrumed on a pivot pin 29 mounted in the box or housing 11 is pivoted to the plunger 21. The other arm 30 of said lever is slotted as at 31, and engages with a threaded bolt 32 having an eye through which a pin 33 passes, that is slidably mounted in slotted guides 34 formed in the wall of the box or housing. Locking nuts 35, or other adjustable securing means, are provided on the end of the bolt whereby the bell crank lever 28 may be adjustably held in its proper position. The box or housing is provided with a removable cover 36 having a downwardly extending lug 37 provided with a socket 38 adapted to embrace the hub of the bell crank lever and overlie the pivot pin 29 and hold the same in its seat.

The switch is assembled by securing the parts in the position shown in Fig. 5 with the plunger rod in slightly retracted position. The extension 16 and fingers 17 are then inserted in the sockets 7 and 12 respectively. Thereupon the plunger 21 is brought into engagement with the extension 19 and the bearing surfaces of the tongue and block are forced into operative engagement with each other against the tension of the spring 24: by suitable adjustment of the locking nuts 35, which actuate the bell crank lever 28. The cover 36 is then secured on the box or housing, which holds the hub of the bell-crank lever securely in place and prevents interference, either malicious or accidental, with'the lever and its adjusting devices. If necessary, at any time, to further adjust the switch tongue, the cover 36 of the housing is removed and the locking nuts are adjusted as desired until the bearing parts of the switch are brought into proper relation with each other. In case it is desired to remove'the switch tongue for purposes of replacement or repair, the looking nuts are loosened so as to remove the pressure between the plunger rod 21 and the extension 19 and thereupon the switch tongue may be removed. By means of this construction, an extremely broad bearing surface is provided between the tongue and the heel block, thus providing a rigid tread surface and also providing against breakage or fracture of the parts. The tongue not only has a central bearing against the heel block, but also possesses lateral bearings at the extreme outer edge of the tongue, which. prevents tilting and also affords an additional factor of safety against lateral or vertical displacement. The spring mounted in the plunger rod also provides for automatic adjustment of the bearing surfaces o manual adjustment by means of the bell crank lever.

Although I have shown one form of construction embodying my construction, it will be obvious that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention provided the means set forth in the following claims be employed.

I claim as my invention 1. In a tongue switch the combination of a switch plate comprising a heel-block having a tread surface and a curved bearing face, a tongue having its heel reversely curved to engage the bearing face of the heel-block, a bell-crank lever provided with an arm projecting outside the line of the switch, a yielding connection between the lever and switch tongue and means for securing said lever and switch tongue in adjusted position.

2. In a tongue switch the combination of a switch plate comprising a heel-block forming a tread surface and having a convexly curved bearing face, a tongue having a concavely curved heel portion to engage the bearing face of the heel-block, means for holding said bearing surfaces in bearing engagement comprising a bell-crank lever a yielding connection between the lever and switch tongue, and means for holding said bell-crank lever and the tongue in adjusted position.

3. In a tongue switch, the combination with a switch plate comprising a heel-block, a tongue having a bearing on the heel block having a plurality of extensions engaging the switch plate beneath the flange way thereof to hold the tongue against vertical displacement and means for yieldingly holding said tongue and heel-block in engagement.

4. In a tongue switch the combination with a switch plate comprising a heel-block having a convex bearing face with an undercut socket beneath said face and provided with recesses below the flange way of the switch plate, a tongue having a concavely curved bearing face engaging with the heelblock and a lip or extension engaging in said socket and with lateral extensions formed integral with the crescent ends of the tongue to engage in said recesses, a bell-crank lever operatively connected with said tongue to hold said extension in position, and means for holding said lever in adjusted position.

5. In a tongue switch, the combination with a switch plate provided with a heelblock having a convex bearing face, and an undercut socket beneath said face, of a tongue having a reversely curved bearing face and a lip or extension engaging in said socket, a plunger engaging said tongue to hold the bearing surfaces in engagement and a bell-crank lever operatively connected with said plunger.

6. In a tongue switch the combination with a switch plate comprising a heel-block having a convexly curved bearing face centrally thereof, a bearing socket beneath said bearing face and locking sockets at the sides thereof, of a tongue having a concavely curved bearing face, a. locking extension adapted to engage in said bearing socket and lateral extensions adapted to engage in said locking sockets, a plunger engaging said tongue to hold said bearing surfaces in engagement and a bell-crank lever pivoted to said plunger for actuating the same.

7. In a tongue switch the combination of a switch plate having a convexly curved bearing face and a recess in front thereof, a tongue provided with a reversely curved bearing face and an extension projecting in said recess, a yielding plunger in said recess, and means for actuating said plunger comprising a bell-crank lever pivoted at one end to said plunger, and means engaging the other end of said bell-crank lever to hold the same in adjusted position.

8. The combination of a switch plate having a heel block thereon provided with a convexly curved bearing face and lateral bearing surfaces, a tongue provided with a concavely curved bearing face and with lateral extensions engaging said lateral bearing surfaces, an arm secured to said tongue, a plunger provided with a central bore engaging said arm, a spring in said plunger and means for adjusting said plunger manually against the tension of the spring.

9. A tongue switch comprising a switch plate having a heel-block formed integral therewith provided with a convexly curved bearing face on the top of the switch plate, lateral bearing surfaces on the bottom of said switch plate, and a central recess in front of the heel block, a tongue with bearing surfaces adapted to engage the bearing surfaces on the switch plate, a depending arm on said tongue extending into the recess, a plunger engaging said arm comprising parts movable with respect to each other, and a spring between said parts, one of said parts having a curved bearing surface adapted to engage with the bearing surface of said arm and means secured to the other part of said plunger for forcing the bearing surfaces into engagement with each other.

10. A tongue switch comprising a switch plate having a heel-block with a bearing face thereon above the switch plate and lateral bearing surfaces below the switch plate, a tongue provided with a plurality of bearing surfaces adapted to engage the bearing surfaces on the switch plate, a recess in the switch plate in front of said bearing surfaces, an arm on the tongue extending lever and means on said bolt to hold thelever in adjusted position.

11. In a tongue switch, the combination of a switch plate provided with lateral flanges extending into the flange way, of a switch tongue pivoted to said switch plate and provided with lateral extensions engaging under said flanges.

12. In a tongue switch, the combination of a switch plate provided with lateral flanges extending into the flange way, a heel block formed integral with said plate having a convexly curved bearing surface, a tongue having a concavely curved bearing surface engaging the bearing on the heel block, and extensions formed integral with the tongue engaging under the lateral flanges to hold the tongue against vertical displacement.

13. In a tongue switch, the combination of a switch plate comprising a heel block provided with a convexly curved bearing face and with lateral flanges extending into the flange way, of a tongue having a concavely curved heel portion engaging the heel block and provided with lateral flanges extending into the flange way, said flanges being extended rearwardly to form fingers engaging under the flanges on the heel block.

14,-. In a tongue switch, the combination with a heel block having a curved bearing face and with lateral extensions projecting into the flange way that are provided with bearing surfaces on their bottoms, of a tongue having a curved bearing portion to engage the heel block and having laterally extending flanges, said flanges being extended rearwardly and downwardly to engage the bearing surfaces on the switch plate flanges.

15. In a tongue switch, the combination of a switch plate provided with a heel block having a curved bearing surface, and having flanges extending into. the flange way, a rod passing underneath and below said flanges adjacent thereto to form a socket between said flanges and rod, and a tongue provided with lateral extensions, said extensions being extended rearwardly and downwardly to engage in said sockets.

16. In a tongue switch, the combination of a switch plate having a heel block provided with a bearing surface, a tongue provided with a bearing surface, and means for the switch plate l holding said surfaces in engagement com- This specification signed and witnessed prising a bell crank lever operatively enthis 2nd day of January, A. 1)., 1913. gaging the tongue, a box inclosing the hub JOHN D MOPHERSON of said lever, and a cover on said box havmg a 11p adapted to engage said hub in the VVltnessesz covers closed pos1t10n and prevent displace- M. P. WINNE,

ment of said hub. MABEL J. COOPER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, 1). C. 

